Conference Proceedings

1862: The Superpower, the United States, and the War that Didn't Happen (Why America and China Are Not In Fact Destined For Combat)

Michael Vlahos — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:44:49 PST

The South China Sea Issue and East Asian Security

Yuanzhe Ren — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 17:48:15 PST

The Path to Harmonious Regionalism?

Jonathan H. Ping — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 17:37:55 PST

Sino-British Relations in 1950: Fracturing a Fragile Relationship

Tracy Steele — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 17:37:54 PST

The Function of Trilateralism in the Asia-Pacific Regime Complex

Gaye Christoffersen — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 17:32:32 PST

Beyond Borders: East Asian Models of Regional Identity and Organization in a Globalized World

Brett McCormick — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 17:32:31 PST

This paper will begin with an examination of the history of geographically construed national and regional identities (e.g. based on a clearly defined physical location, and based on contiguous proximity), particularly as they have developed in East Asia. These historical models will be compared to other components of contemporary globalized identity, where physical proximity is much less relevant (e.g. economic, social, even military contacts can directly link distant communities, regardless of who/what might geographically be in between). The comparative analysis will first address the issue on the global historical scale, then focus in on modern East Asia as a case study. It will explore how these modern elements of globalization are compatible with, or incompatible with, national and regional identities constructed around strictly physical geographical reckoning. It will conclude by suggesting alternate models of globalism and regionalism that fully account for alternate conceptions of contemporary international relations (e.g. China’s concept of “harmonious regionalism”).

Water and Regional Security in Asia: Challenges for China

Elizabeth Wishnick — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 17:32:16 PST

The management of water risks poses many challenges to China’s conception of harmonious regionalism in Asia and to the region-wide development fundamental to the unfolding of a Pacific Century. China faces many hard choices as its own water, food security and energy goals often conflict, but as an upstream state sharing river resources with most of its neighbors, China’s water usage and hydropower development also have important consequences for regional security and foreign policy. River management is poorly institutionalized in Asia, however, and China has preferred to address water issues bilaterally. Using Ulrich Beck’s concept of social risk, this paper looks at the domestic sources of China’s approach to managing water risks and their foreign policy and security consequences. The paper highlights the emergence of security dilemmas in China’s approach to water risk management and their impact on regional security and China’s foreign relations with Asian neighbors.

US American ‘Japan Bashing’ in the 1980s and Today’s ‘China Threat’: Is History Repeating Itself? 20世纪80年代美国对日本的“抨击”与今天的“中国威胁”：历史是否重演？

Elizabeth S. Dahl — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 20:18:27 PST

This paper examines American rhetoric since the late 1990s about the ‘rise of China’ in military and economic terms and compares it to the previous phenomenon of ‘Japan bashing.’ In the 1980s, Americans charged that the Japanese unfair trade practices were costing jobs and hastening America’s decline. While Japan’s stagnant economy in the 1990s eased the bilateral relationship, China became the next rising state of concern. In addition to substantial trade deficits, the PRC is the US’ most formidable military competitor, has an appalling human rights record, and is not an ally. These factors raise the risk of serious conflict.

从20世纪90年代后期起，美国开始发表有关中国军事和经济“崛起”的言论，本文研究了这些言论，并将其与之前“抨击日本”的现象进行比较。20世纪80年代，美国指责日本不公平的贸易措施削减了美国的工作岗位并加速了美国的衰落。20世纪90年代，日本经济陷入滞胀，这缓和了美日双边关系，美国开始把注意力转向中国。除了高企的贸易赤字，中国还是美国在军事上最强大的竞争对手；中国的人权纪录十分可怕，中国也不是美国的盟友。这些因素都增加了爆发严重冲突的风险。

A Civic Pivot? A Proposed Alternative to the Obama Administration’s Pivot to Asia 民事轴心?：奥巴马政府亚洲轴心的另一种选择

Wenshan Jia — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 16:28:18 PST

The United States’ pivot to Asia is spurring a new round of military competition in the Asia‑Pacific region. This paper argues that this is doing more harm than good to the long‑term relationship between the United States and Asian nations, particularly between the United States and China. Money could be saved from the military efforts to focus on a civic pivot to build stronger intercultural bonds between the United States and Asia. Proposed measures include the creation of more rigorous educational programs on Asian languages and civilizations for Americans to cultivate a deeper understanding of and identification with Asian civilizations.

美国将轴心定位于亚洲，刺激了亚太地区展开新一轮的军事竞赛。本文认为，这种做法对于美国和亚洲国家的长期关系，尤其是美中之间的长期关系弊大于利。从减少军事行动节约出的资金可以投入民事方面，用以建立美国与亚洲之间更加牢固的跨文化纽带。推荐的措施包括，推出更为严格的亚洲语言和文化教育项目，来帮助美国人更好的了解亚洲文明、认同亚洲文明。

What does Harmonious Regionalism mean? 和谐地区主义的含义？

Rosita Dellios — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 18:31:08 PST

Harmonious regionalism from the perspective of Chinese philosophy is best expressed as an anti-hegemonic discourse that privileges wu-wei (actionless action) and yin-yang correlativity. These are framed within a larger Confucian-Socialist hybrid narrative, such as “win-win” policies that are advanced in various white papers, be they on China’s “peaceful development”, foreign aid or national defence. Through the use of social constructivism in Western International Relations theory, it is possible to ask whether China is a constructivist state in search of a correlative region. If so, this would render the meaning of “harmonious regionalism” as a process (dao, the way) based model rather than a highly institutionalized one. The Confucian concept of harmony in which diverse interests prevail in a dynamic balance accords with this notion of process. China’s participation in regional organizations on its periphery is examined through this conceptual lens.

摘要

从中国哲学角度出发，和谐地区主义最佳解读是：推崇无为和阴阳相互关系的反霸权理论。这个理论包含在一种更高层次的儒家-社会主义混合理论框架中。中国推出的“和平发展”、对外援助或者国防等白皮书中，都极力宣扬“双赢”政策。这个政策就是混合理论的一个例子。运用西方国际关系理论的社会建构主义，我们可以提出这个问题：中国是不是一个寻求地区联系的建构主义国家？如果答案肯定的话，那么“和谐地区主义”就是一个以过程（道）为基础的模式，而不是一个高度制度化的模式。在儒家学说中，和谐指的是不同的利益能够维持动态平衡，并得以实现。这与“道”的含义是一致的。我们就从这个概念的角度，来审视中国参与周边地区组织的情况。